Rail car truck



April l0, 1951 c. L. EKsERGlAN RAIL CAR TRUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet El Filed Dec. 23, 1944 mm 1N NRN mm mil mw 1 mw wm E Mww @wv :z a

A TTORNE Y April 10, 1951 c. l.. EKsERGlAN 2,548,596

RAIL CAR TRUCK CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN Ryn/@MUM ATTORNEY April l0, 1951 c. EKSERGIAN RAIL CAR TRUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 23, 1944 JNVENTOR CAROL Us L. EKERGIAN A TTORNE Y April 10, 1951 c. 1 EKSERGIAN RAIL CAR TRUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 25, 1944 INVENTOR CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN 89W ATTORNEY April l0, 1951 c. l.. EKsERGlAN RAIL CAR TRUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 23, 1944 INVENTOR L. EKSERGIAN EY 7a/LM CAROLUS A 'I'TORNE Y April l0, 1951 c. l.. EKSERGIAN RAIL CAR TRUCK 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Deo. 23, 1944 Patented Apr. 10, 1951 RAIL CAR TRUCK Carolus L. Eksergian, Detroit, Mich., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a-corporation of Pennsylvania,

yApplication December 23, 1944, Serial No. 569,492

(Cl. 105--20S.1)

2 Claims. l The invention relates to rail car rtrucks and more'speciiically to lthatsimpliiied form of'truck in which the side frames are given an equalizer function and cross frames are so articulated thereto as to preserve their proper relative positions in the horizontal `plane'without substantial impairmentofthis equalizer action. The type as such might be calledan equalizer frame truck. y

Trucks of the indicated `type are designed for the purpose of simplifying "the construction and for reducing the weightas compared with trucks having va rigid iframe which extends notpnly across the width`but` alsoover the entire length of the truck and engages the ends of the axles.

The outstandingobject of the invention is to further simplify the `construction and to reduce the weight'oi trucks of the indicated type Without impairing in any waybut rather improving `the safety of operation, the durability, the riding qualities and all other characterisitcs which are Anecessary Aor desirable `in a railcar truck and. which are well known 'to those skilled in this art.

Among the objects of the invention is also the improvement or further development ofthe `truck belonging to the indicated title, which is disclosed in thefinventors application Serial No. 509,957, filed November l2, 1943, Railway Truck, now abandoned, this application being a continuation-in-part of said earlier filed application.

One of the most important structural arrangements contributing to the attainment of the objects of the invention is Vthe constitution of the transverse frame or transom the main means for connecting and holding the side frames or equalizers transversely and longitudinally together, and lproviding in'association with this arrangement means for transmitting horizontal forces, especially in a longitudinal direction, between lthe transverse frames and the side frames.

The invention contemplates the use of unitary devices adapted and arranged for resiliently Supporting the transverse frame or transom on and for connecting it to the side frames or equalizers and for transmitting the horizontal forces.

l Such devices may consist of coil springs arranged in telescoping housings in which the parts of the housings are securely fastenedto the side frames and to thetransverse frame, respectively, andserve for transmitting all forces in horizontal planes.

A further feature of the invention resides in the use of resilient cushions between fthe telescoping `partsof the spring housings so as to resiliently transmit the 'horizontal forces and'eliminate the tr'ansmissionof vibrations.

, 2 o vSo Vas to avoid heavy eccentric forces,'the `:invention contemplates the arrangement of 'the axles supporting the side frames in aplane close to the plane of contact `between the parts ofthe aforesaid telescopinghousings for the springs.

Another feature of the invention resides generally in the suspension of the itransverse'frame or transom on the axle supported framework, such as for instance two separate side frames Vor equalizers, in combination with the suspension'of the bolster on the transom in such a manner that the transom has a certain amount of freedom with respect to the axle supported framework to swivel about horizontal-axes whereas 'the bolster is supported by the transom or transverse frame so that it may move forth and back in transverse direction but is prevented from swiveling about horizontal axes and maintains a 'fixed relationship tothe body of the carwhich it supports. This arrangement eliminates the so-called galloping, .pitching or rollingof the frame of manynow ycustomary trucks `which `sometimes makes riding .in a railcar quite'uncomfortable. v

The aforesaid and further features, details, objects and advantages of the invention will become morev easily understood from the 4:following description of theembodiment illustrated in the attached drawings.

of Figure 1;

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a truck'built according to one .embodiment of the inventionycertain parts being shown in section substantially along line l-lof Figure 2;

Figure l2A is a side elevation of the same truck, one of thespring devices being shownin section;

Figure 3 isa transverse section along line 3 3 Figure 4 is :a sectional fragmentary view on a larger scale ofthe portion of one vof the springv devices surrounded 'Lby vline 4' in Figure 2; y

Figure 4:is a plan View of a truck built according-to `another Aembodiment of the invention,

` partly in section' Asubstantially along line V5 5 The side frames or equalizers I5 are of hollow box-sectional construction which may consist of sheet metal plates connected by welding. These side frames have a central, substantially straight horizontal portion and pedestals 2I at their ends. The pedestals 2| receive the journal boxes 22 which have lateral anges or wings 23 for limiting transverse movement between them and the side frames. Resilient cushions 24 are inserted between the journal boxes and the side frames so as to subdue high frequency vibrations. Members 2I removably bridge the pedestal openings.

The ends of the axles I8 are supported in the journal boxes 22 with no or but little transverse play. Rigidly secured to the axles I8 are the wheels 25 and brake discs 26.

The supporting beam I9' of the brake structure I9 is bifurcated at least at one end and the two arms 21, 28 are supported by rubber bushings 29, 30 in sleeves 3 Iy 32 forming integral parts of the respective side frames. A similar rubber bushing support (not shown) may be provided for the other single end of each beam I9'. The remainder of the brake structure I9 will not be described because it does not constitute a part of the present invention. The brake supporting structure is disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 574,892 led January 27, 1945, entitled Brake Mechanism, now patent #2,423,694 issued July 8, 1947.

The transverse frame or transom I6 is composed of hollow section members, that is, in the embodiment of inverted channels. It is of generally rectangular form in plan and made up of longitudinal members 33 and transverse members 34. The longitudinal members 33 project beyond the transverse members 34. Corner brackets 35 secure the rigid connection between the members 33 and 34.

Welded to the four corners of the frame 'I6 are downwardly opening cylindrical housings 36. Coil springs 31, 38 are arranged in the interior of each housing 36 so that their upper ends abut the top wall 39 of the housing. The top wall plate 39 is provided with a cylindrical projection 46 fitting into the inner spring 38 and the upper portion 4I of the housing 36 is of such diameter as to t rather closely around the outer spring 31, yet of course, with so much play as to accommodate the increase of diameter of the spring when it is compressed.

Lower spring seats 42 which are rigidly secured to the top walls of the Side frames I5, each have a bottom wall 43 against which the lower ends of the springs 31, 38 rest, a central projecting portion 44 corresponding to the upper projection portion 40, and a cylindrical outer wall 45, the inner diameter of which is about equal to the inner diameter of the upper cylindrical portion 4I of the housing 36. The cylindrical wall 45 is substantially lower on one side than on the other side and its high portion has the outer surface covered with a wear plate 46 which may consist of high wear-resisting alloy. The high Aportion of the wall 45 is located on that side which faces toward the transverse vertical central plane of the truck and ts loosely into the widened middle portion 41 of the housing 36. The marginal portion 48 of the housing 36 is still further widened and is covered on its inside opposite the wall plate 46 with a strip-formed rubber cushion 49. The rubber cushion 49 has bonded to its opposite sides metal strips 5l) and 5I, respectively. The outer strip 50 serves, OI,

securing the cushion to the housing 36 such as by rivets 5I; these details are not shown in Figures 1 to 3 but only in Figure 4. The inner strip 5I consists again of a wear-resistant material.

The arrangement of the telescoping members 36 and 42 and their appertaining parts is such that contact will always occur between the metal strip 5I of the rubber cushion and the wear plate 46 without other parts of the telescoping members 36 and 42 making contact with each other. This fact is not clearly visible in the small-scale Figures 1 to 3 but the correct relations are shown in the large-scale Figure 4.

It will also be noted that the parts of the spring housings are the only ones which serve for transmitting horizontal forces between the transverse frame I6 and the Side frames I5. The arrangement permits of slight canting movement which is necessary so as to allow unequal compression of the springs due to unequal loading of the car, to centrifugal forces or to angular movement of the car body with respect to the side frames about a transverse horizontal axis. In regard to the last mentioned angular movement it will become apparent from the following description that the bolster suspension is designed not to accommodate such angular movement.

The bolster I1 consists mainly of a hollow section transverse girder carrying the center plate 52 and provided at its'ends with pedestals 53 for side bearings. The bolster is supported near its ends by hangers 54 which have their upper ends journalled at 55 to the transverse frame I6. Rubbing plates 56 and 51, rubber cushioned at 58 serve for the transmission of the longitudinal forces between bolster and transom.

It will be noted that the hanger suspension permits a limited transverse movement only but no tilting movement between the transverse frame I6 and the bolster I1 about a transverse axis. There are no spring plank and no springs between the hangers and the bolster as in many customary constructions of trucks for passenger cars.

The center plate 52 of the truck engages the center plate 59 secured to the body 59' (indicated by dot and dash lines), the arrangement being such that there is a xed generally parallel relationship between the body and the bolster. The diameter of the center plates is such that the center plates will not separate on one side in case of eccentric stresses but the body and the center plates will move under all circumstances with the bolster and the transverse frame or transom except for the side sway permitted by the hanger suspension. It is evident that no pitching, galloping or rolling of any parts of the truck can occur because the side frames are rmly held to the rails and the remainder of the truck, i. e. transom, bolster and center plate, are held in fixed substantially parallel relationship to the car body.

From the foregoing description it will have become apparent that there are in this embodiment, except for the contact between the members 36 and 42 of the spring housings, no contacting surfaces, radius rods or any other of the conventional means for holding the side frames and the transverse frame together and for transmitting the horizontal forces. -The result is a truck of extreme simplicity.

The desired result of great strength without heavy weight is in part attained by arranging the plane of transfer of the horizontaljorces beembodiment.

abismos v- 'tweenthe housings V3b `and 42,"that is,the'rubber cushions '139, at about 'the :level 'of the axles I8 and also close to thejpoint of attachment of :the lower member 42 'to ,the side 'frames l5.

YThe general construction of the embodiment illustratedin FiguresS .to'lO hasa great similarity to the general construction ofthe first embodiment.

The .truckshown in Figures '5 to "1'0`has side .frames til, a `transverse frame or transom 6|, a .bolster .62, a pair of axles 63 with .wheels 16.4 -and brake discs-65, brake supporting .beams .65 supported, as clearly shownanddescribed in patent #2,423,694 for Brake -Mechanism granteddnly 8, 1947, by their single ends and their twopronged ends 6l, 68 and rubberbushingsii, 'lll in the side frames '60 and axle boxes H ,held 'in the .pedestals 'l2 of fthe side frames by wings -13 and .rubber cushions'li and 15. The rubber cushions are adhesively connected on `both sides,

as-iscustomary, to metal'plates which are secured `rpriate construction such -as the construction illustrated in vthe rst embodiment. The `bolster 62 is provided with the center bearing 1.6 and with end brackets il for side bearings (not shown), and it issuspended from `the frame or bolster 6| by hangers 18 in `a similarfmanner as intherst Spring devices or `units 19 .arranged at the fourcornersfof the transom .frame 6| support the latteron theside frames and hold the truck framework together as will become side plates 8|, -82 and a bottom 4plate 8,3 welded together along their margins. The interiors of the pedestal openings are appropriately reinforced by additional plates and the openings are bridged by members Vlill-secured to thereinforc- .ing plates Aby means, such Yas bolts (not shown).

The transverse ,frame or Vtransom 6| .has two transverse members and longitudinal members 36 likewise constituted by top and bottom plates Bl, 3E and vertical walls .89, Sill which are Ywelded together so as .to vform .closed box-section girdera The bolster 52 is in the form .of a downwardly racing and laterally .ilanged channel vclosed at its ends by plates .9| which form part .of the side bearing supports .'l'fl.

On each side of the truck is inserted a struttype shock absorber 92 between a bracket 93 secured to the outside of the respective side frame B and a' bracket @Il secured to the outside of the longitudinal member 86 ofthe transom 6 These shock absorbers serve for dampening the up and down movement or" the body with the bolster 62 and the transom 6| relative to the side frames |50 and also to dampen oscillatory movements about a longitudinal axis.

A single lever-type shock absorber 95 is secured to one of the vertical walls of the. bolster 62 in the interior thereof and has its arm 96 connected by link 97 to a bracket 98 which is secured to the inner side of one of the longitudinal members 85 of the transom. This shock absorber serves for dampening transverse swinging movement of the body with the bolster 62 relative to the transom 6|. Of course, a shock absorber 95 might be provided at each end of the bolster"62 butin 'many cases-the illustratedsingle shock absorber will suffice.

'A'rubber Acushion'iliis secured to each Aof the end plates v`9| ci 'the '-bolsterjZ opposite the "bracket 'S8 ontheA one side yand'asimilar Aplate |03 `secured yto ,the 'transom member "86 on the `other side of Athe truck.

portion lilZhas an 'apertured end Wall .H14 hav- 'ing two concentric 'portions '|95 and V'|06 .axially offset relative to each other. The outerannular portion |05 supports by means of a vibration damping ring |67 Vthe outer spring |98, and the inner annular portion |05 supports the upper end of the inner spring HB9 by a vibration absorbing'ring lll). The housing ,portion Isex'tends through an opening in the 'top platel of V,the transverse 'frame Si, and its lower margin is outwardly flanged at |l| so as to rest against Athe underside o'ithe topplate El and is irmly welded f .toithe latter. The second honsingporltion |93 is welded to the underside of the topplatejl and extends through an .opening in thebottom plate 88 rof 'the transverse frame .El -to the .margin of which .opening `it is securely welded. The lower section l |2 .of the member .lil-iisgreaterthan.the "diameter of the uppermain portionand houses aribber lannulus H3 which, as .indicated in the rst embodiment has bonded to .its cylindrical surfaces .sheet ,metalrings .i lil and .l l5 respectively. The yring H5 serves,.as in therst .em-

.bodiment, 'for securing 'the rubber annulus to marginal flange .it of ,the housing whereas rthe inner ring .IM is .of wear-.resistingmaterial Lower cup-shapedspring housing lmembers l Il having a bottom wall ||8 anda cylindrical wall Il!) .are `firmly secured .such .as by ribs |12|l `and by welding .to top wa'll .Sil of the side .framesor .equalizers li. The cylindrical wall il 9 is covered all .around with aplate .l2 l .afweer-resisting material. The cylindrical .members H9, |2| fit loosely into main .part of the portion |33 of the upper housing Ill! and withconsiderable less .play into the .ring lill supported by the rubber 3.

An .upwardly open cup-shaped member |22'extends downwardly through the opening in the top .wall `|04 of the member HB2 and may be closed bye. removablelid |23. Through an aperture .in the .bottom wall `.of the member |22 extendsa bolt SL26 -which is firmly screwedinto the bottom wall H8 of the lower member lil' and is provided at its upper end with a pair of firmly tightened nuts |25. A resilient cushion |26 rests on the bottom wall of the member |22 and surrounds the bolt |24. This arrangement serves for resiliently limiting the upward movement of the transom and for holding the side frames 60 and the transom 6| together against the action of the springs when the truck is separated from and not weighed down by the car body. The parts are shown in Fig. 10 in the position of approximately normal loading.

Juxtaposed rubbing plates |21 and |28 are secured to the transom and bolster respectively. The plates 28 are attached by means of resilient cushions |29 to brackets |30 of the bolster. This generally conventional arrangement serves, as in the iirst embodiment, for resiliently transmitting the horizontal forces between bolster and transom without impeding the swinging trans- These `cushions resil- "iently limit the transverse .movement of "the "bolster relativeto'the` transom.

verse movement of the bolster relative to the transom.

'Ihe body |3I (indicated by dot and dash lines) with its xed center plate |32 is held also in the `second embodiment in fixed parallel relationship `to the center plate of the truck and to the bolster .and transom thereof, substantially in the same manner and for the same purposes as has been explained at length in connection with the first embodiment.

It may be emphasized here that the maintenance of the xed relationship of al1 spring supported parts of the truck to the car body, while ',boxes.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated Aembodiments but modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Other means than those illustrated in detail may be used for transmitting the horizontal forces from one housing member to the other such as, for instance, a rubber ring `secured to both members and having enough elasticity in vertical direction to permit the up and down movement of the members. It is also obvious that rubber cushions may be dispensed with and the horizontal forces transmitted directly from one housing part to the other or through portions rigidly connected with them. 1n regard to the illustrated spring device and to other details of the illustrated embodiments it will also be apparent that they may be used for other purposes than the specific trucks for which they were developed. Such modifications and adaptations of the invention or its details are intended to be covered by the language and the spirit of the attached claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rail car truck comprising an independent side frame or equalizer on each side, two pairs of wheels supporting the side frames near their ends, a transverse frame or transom arranged in longitudinal direction between the wheels and extending in transverse direction from side frame to side frame, and spring devices on each side of the truck between the four corners of the transverse frame and the side frames, said spring devices comprising generally cylindrica1 telescoping members enclosing coil springs, said members being rigidly secured to the side frames and the transverse frame respectively and serving, through the engagement of their cylindrical surfaces, substantially as the sole means for holding the central portions of the two side frames together and for transmitting horizontal forces between the side frames and the transverse frame, an amount of play being designedly provided between said telescoping members sufficient to allow tilting of the transom with respect to the side frames or equalizers about horizontal transverse and longitudinal axes without binding between said members.

2. In a rail car truck: side frames or equalizers supported by wheels at their ends; a transverse frame or transom arranged in longitudinal direction between the wheels and extending in transverse direction from side frame to side frame; spring devices on each side of the truck between the side frames and the ends of the transverse frame, said spring devices comprising coil springs and housings with telescoping members enclosing the associated coil springs and rigidly secured to the side frames and the transverse frame respectively and serving for transmitting horizontal forces between the side frames and the transverse frame, a rubber cushion being secured on one side to one of the housing members and provided with a rigid facing such as metal on the other side which faces the other housing member, said facing being slidable with respect to the other housing member, whereby the rubber cushion comes into play in cushioning said horizontal forces and in restraining tilting of the transom with respect to said side frames or equalizers about horizontal transverse and longitudinal axes, but has no effect on the vertical springing action of said coil springs.

CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,387,158 Leitch Aug. 9, 1921 1,408,321 Wellman Feb. 28, 1922 1,739,123 Bruce Dec. 10, 1929 1,990,638 Davidson Feb. 12, 1935 2,047,251 Bender July 14, 1936 2,064,464 Darby Dec. 15, 1936 2,184,102 Piron Dec. 19, 1939 2,205,586 Williams June 25, 1940 2,207,848 Barrows July 16, 1940 2,231,195 Piron Feb. 11, 1941 2,242,852 Flowers May 20, 1941 2,265,392 Olander Dec. 9, 1941 2,354,309 Frede July 25, 1944 

